Governor Announces Aid for Union College's Canal Exhibition

Governor George E. Pataki today announced that Union College in Schenectady County will receive $72,600 to help fund its current exhibition entitled, "A Monument of Progress: The 175th Anniversary of the Erie Canal."

"Since its grand opening in 1825, the Erie Canal has played a key role in the history of New York State," Governor Pataki said. "This educational exhibition will help to promote a greater public understanding of the historical importance of this engineering marvel and we are proud to join with Union College in celebrating the Erie Canal's 175th anniversary."

Senator Hugh T. Farley said, "The Erie Canal exhibition at Union College provides a tremendous opportunity to learn more about a time in history that was a true turning point for New York State. I'm pleased that we're providing additional funds to support this exhibit which will travel across the State so students can gain a greater understanding of how the Erie Canal helped make New York the Empire State."

Assemblyman Jim Tedisco said, "The historical significance of the building of the Erie Canal and its role in the growth of New York State should not be underestimated. I am proud that my alma mater is commemorating the 175th anniversary of the Canal, which is now experiencing a rebirth as a recreational and historical attraction."

Union College President Dr. Roger H. Hull said, "Just as the Gala Canal Ball 175 years ago recognized New York Governor DeWitt Clinton's remarkable achievement, it is fitting that we celebrate Governor George Pataki's generous support of Union's exhibit marking the 175th anniversary of the Erie Canal. This grant will enable this impressive exhibition to travel the country – to museums, schools and other venues – so that the rich history of the canal can be shared with as many people as possible."

NYS Canal Corporation Chairman Louis R. Tomson said, "The items on display at Union College illustrate once again that the Erie Canal was – and still is – one of our nation's greatest engineering marvels. At the same time, Governor Pataki's multi-million dollar Canal Revitalization Program is helping to preserve and revitalize one of New York's greatest treasures."

The Union College exhibition is comprised of three separate exhibits which feature extensive collections of artifacts, prints, photographs, maps and working models of canal structures.

The first exhibit, entitled "Making It Work," features working models – built by Union faculty and students and Schenectady High School students – of canal structures including locks, aqueducts and culverts. It includes a number of engineering drawings and original maps from the State Archives which have never before been on public display.

The second exhibit, "Recollections and Reflections," features 19th century paintings, prints, drawings and artifacts and is designed to recreate the scenic beauty and rich history of a trip along the length of the Erie Canal.

The third exhibit, "Bankwatch: Views of the Erie Canal," showcases a wide variety of artifacts from the acclaimed collection of the Canal Society of New York.

The undertaking is designed as a traveling exhibition that will help bring the history of the Erie Canal to schools, art centers, museums and other venues across the State. Union College will sponsor a wide range of educational programming for area schools to help educate young people about the importance of the canal and its tremendous impact on New York State.

The funding announced today is being used to purchase high-quality display cases, to sponsor educational programs for area students and teachers, and to support a traveling version of the exhibition. The funds are also being used to attract renowned public speakers, to create insightful canal programming and to produce a catalogue and other materials that will preserve a lasting record of the exhibition.

For the past 175 years, the Erie Canal has stood as a powerful example of the ingenuity and determination of New Yorkers. When New York's Governor De Witt Clinton first championed the idea of a canal that would connect the Great Lakes of the western frontier with the Atlantic Ocean, many of his critics referred to the undertaking as "Clinton's Folly" or "Clinton's Ditch."

In 1817, Governor Clinton and the State Legislature appropriate $7 million dollars for the canal project – an enormous amount of money at the time. When the Erie Canal opened in 1825 with the "wedding of the waters," it was hailed as the "greatest engineering marvel in the world" – 363 miles long, 40 feet wide and four feet deep.

The Erie Canal rapidly transformed the economic landscape of New York State as the cost of transporting wheat and other grain products to market dropped from $100 per ton over land - to just $10 per ton by canal boat. As travel time across the state was cut in half, places like Buffalo and Rochester became boomtowns almost overnight and cities like Schenectady, Albany, Troy and New York City were transformed into major commercial centers.